12 



FOURTH PAPER— LABELLING. 



HE process of gluing the plants to the sheets finishes 

 i^^l the work of mounting, unless the plants have partic- 



M ularly heavy parts, in which event these are suf- 

 ficiently streng-thened by being fastened to the sheet 

 with strips of gummed linen. This linen comes in sheets con- 

 taining about four square feet and costs twelve cents a sheet. 

 For use it is first cut into strips ^ inch, 5 inch, i inch and 

 inches wide. These strips are then cut at right angles to the 

 first, cut into strips from ^ to f inch wide, which will give 

 strips of four different lengths and a choice of widths from 

 broad to narrow. These strips, although much narrower than 

 the worker with gummed paper is accustomed to use, will be 

 found to be much stronger. . For this reason a smaller num- 

 ber can be used, and their size renders them quite inconspicu- 

 ous. In the case of large stems, a single strip at either end 

 will suffice to hold them firmly. It will not be necessary to 

 strap leaves, flowers or delicate parts ; the glue alone will 

 hold them. In the majority of specimens, a single strap at 

 the base of the stem is enough. Every bend in the stem should 

 have a strap. When the straps are placed at the ends of stems, 

 tl^ey should never be more than + inch from the end. The 

 clean, neat appearance of plants mounted in this way and the 

 absence of the broad bands of disfiguring paper recommend 

 the method to all who see the work. 



Next in importance to good specimens — perhaps I 

 should say of equal importance — ^is the right kind of a label. 

 I have seen thousands of specimens thrown into the fire for 

 want of proper data. The plants were apparently named 

 correctly, but none of the labels showed where they were col- 

 lected, and they were therefore worthless. The young col- 

 lector should thoroughly understand that it makes no differ- 

 ence who collected the plant nor what its name is, if the other 

 data are present. It is perhaps because so many of us think 

 we have finished with a plant when we have learned its name. 



